San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-01

mile and half distant, rose the solid
stone walls OF Col. Andrews substantial
home; and in direct line Herewith, nine
miles from the city we're distinctly seen
looming up the stately buildings OF the
| Cable property, whose 100000 residence
makes a fitting home even in far away
| Texas for the millionaire owners OF the
| Rock Island railway. The very desir-
able property OF County Commission
er Tournet was also in sight, while
nesting under the wing OF COmanche
was noted the ornate cottage Of Gen.
Russ, and the bOspitsble home OF my
my whilom guide, Judge FlOrea.
The clustering trees upon reser-
voir hill, the Government hill
tower, and the ridge OF cemetery hill on
the east OF the city were sharply out
lined against the sky. Tooth pick
mountain in the near vicinity OF BOerne,
thirty miles away, was plainly recOg-
| niZable. Hair-Pin height, 40 miles
| away towards Bandera, was the limit OF
vision in that direction, while near at
hand and within the COmmanOhe tract
| itself the eye rested on score OF slightly
crests, suggesting more eligible loca-
tions for suburban dwellings than can
| be found in any county Of Texas outside
of bountiful Bexar. Probably the most
beautiful of all these slightly spots was
| one IeCHUlCdllN huOWH no l%lFC Ohhs
roundly swelling, smoothly slOping
| lawn Of natures sofest green, lying at
| the upper end Of q valley, and which,
| from its elevated position, overlooked
| interminable miles of valley, hillside,
plain and city, as WAS ascertained some
| half hour later when We invaded its
leafy retreats. This natural grove Of
| live oaks remains untouched by the
hand OF man, and the slopes and crown
| ing height Of COmanohe Lookout are
| all well wooded, its shades increasing
year by year. But | must linger no
longer on Comanche outlook.
DOW FFRoM THE LOOKOUT.
Disdaining the circling road by which
| the ascent was made, Judge Florea
| turned his face directly down the height
| and soon reached a level plateau some
sixty or seventy feet below the crest of
the hill. This plateau has no name,
but nature evidently intended 1t for the
hotel Of the future. This almost level,
lawn like spot, thickly carpeted with
grass, is several acres in extent. The
view is open, commanding and unOb-
structed to the east, south and west, and
is very extensive, ranging to the far oil
horizon in all directions save the north.
Here Comanche hill crest forms a natu-
raj wind break, cutting of the sharp
northers which sometimes sweep over
this section to the discomfort OF invslids
and the delicately organized. The winds
are effectually warded off by the solid
Interpolation of the high ground In
the rear, and the jewellers here
would be efiectually sheltered from
every chilling wind that blows, while
free scope is given to the invigorating
breezes that blow upon this favored re-
. a har nrltlf This
plateau is fully $50 feet above Main
plaza. is only one mile and quarter
from the city limits, is reached over one
Of the finest natural drives to be found
in the state and is clearly above the line
of all vapors that arise from the valley.
The pure air of this elevation Is laden
with more health giving, lung-hesling
properties than that OF any other section
of America with which medical science
is cOnVersant. DR.. VOllum, the medical
inspector of this military district, is on
record in letters written in answer to
enquiries on this point He affirms I'M
hesitatingly that there is no climate in
the world superior to the climate OF this
region for COnsumptiyes and those
troubled with pulmonary complaints;
and for all diseases of the respiratory or,
gans DIR. VOllum asserts, and in this
assertion he is borne out by medical
testimony that is conclusive, and by
hundreds of living cases attesting the
truth of the assertion, that there is no
region equal to this for restoring dis
eased lungs to sOundness. The Doctor
is also OF the opinion that there is no
location where all the advantages of
this climate would be so surely
reaped as here. 1t does seem
as though this fact, so apparent, must
very soon be realized, and that at no
distant day mammoth hotel will be
erected under the sheltering brow of
Comanche Lookout, whose thronging
thousands shall witness In all lands the
curative properties of this Marvellous at
mOsphere. Viewed from the Bandera
road ComaRche hill appears a simple
projection and higher elevation of the
range of hills lying nOrthward. This is
not the case, as closer inspection
proved. COmanOhe Lookout is projected
boldly into the valley, and notwith-
standing its easy gradient and gradual
| ascent the isolation from all surround
ing hills is perfect. Around it course
| in unrestrained freedom the health
laden currents of this life giving atmos-
phere. Behind this location, which ma
ture designed for her house OF healing,
rises the everlasting hill to protect its
ltUutE Ou6b llOm lub hOilutIb
chill while they purify; beneath it lies
tie fair valley of the San Antonio, so
far beneath that no breath Of its vapOr
dews the cheek of those who seek
this refuge; before it lies view it were
worth a trip across an empire to enjoy.
THE CoMANCHE TRACT.
Descending the hill at a rapid trOt, a
hasty drive was taken over the tact.
The soil ia wonderfully fertile, easily
titled, and affords nutriment to the
finest bottom of grass that can be found
| in weeks travel. The ranges of this
tract afford the most abundant pastur-
age. Fetlock deep in grass, the team
bOwIed on leaving the miles behind
| them until the eye wearied of the green
ness. Since the range was fenced four
years since, wonderful growth of
timber has sprung up, and in the near
| future such of the enclosure as is pre-
served for that purpose will be quite
| densely wooded; all the native varieties
mesquite, blackberry, live oak, etc,
springing spontaneously. The whole
tract ia exceedingly well watered. An
embankment here, and a little dam
| there, does it all, and the water supply
| is inexhaustible. In addition to this, a
vein of purest water has been reached
at a depth of 1874 feet, which yields an